Broken
by AllTheTricks
Summary: They made one mistake. One mistake that cost them the lives of two of their team mates. One mistake that will change their lives forever. Watch as their lives unwind and how their destinies and fates become entwined. Read and review.
1. Introduction

'You think that just because I only have one eye I don't notice how you look at me? I don't need my Sharingan to notice how you act around me these days, Sakura, so go. Out with it. Tell me why the fuck you've been avoiding me since we got back from our last mission in the Mist.' Kakashi spat. Sick and frustrated of the emotional turmoil swirling in his mind. _'why is this happening to me? How does she manage to get past my barriers and worm her way into my heart so easily..'_

She wasn't going to lie to herself, the venomous tone he'd used almost made her break down into tears, but she wouldn't. No. She was the Hokages apprentice. She was amongst the strongest Kunoichi in the village, and this masked man won't break her. 'I think we both know exactly why I've been avoiding you, Sensei.' She took note of the shocked face her comment had extracted from her friend. Ever since that kiss Kakashi had just begun to stop wearing his mask around her, but to her utter dismay, the black cloth was planted firmly on the lower portion of his face.

He couldn't help but be shocked from the way she said those words. But she was right. He did understand why she was avoiding him, because she despised him, she hated his guts for what he did. '_But she kissed me back..' _His mind was going wild. She was his last friend and he'd fucked up once again and was about to lose her, if he already hadn't. 'Sakura..' was all he could manage. It felt natural rolling her name of his tongue, like it was his sole purpose in this world of misery. 'I'm.. I'm sorry for what I did, I really am.' he pleaded, hoping for salvation from this guilty pain crushing him to the ground.

'Yeah well guess what? It's too fucking late Kakashi, I'm your student, not some slut from Icha Icha who you can just grab and rape.' Tears threated to blaze trails down her cheeks as she spat the words she knew he was dreading. _'What are you doing Sakura? He's your best friend, you've been close for years and now you're just tossing his aside like trash because of on mistake. A mistake that was just as much your fault.' _Her mind was a battlefield. Coherent thoughts scattered to the winds, blown away by anger and despair. She knew she shouldn't be taking out all her rage on him, it wasn't his fault. But she couldn't help it. Her emotions were running wild and she could do nothing to reign in the anger that was lashing out at anyone or anything that agitated her, and right now, that someone was the famous Copy-Ninja.

The words broke him. After all these years, Kakashi thought he knew pain but nothing had prepared him for this. Not the death of Rin, not Obito, not Minato. Hell. Not even the recent deaths of Sai and Yamato. _'They died because of you Kakashi. Sakura is right to be angry, your lust distracted you from your mission and got Sai and Yamato killed, you deserve this pain, Hatake.' _ He felt something shatter inside. She hated him. His worst fears had come true. The woman he'd come to love has discovered his true side and she hated him. It was a curse. Everyone he ever came to love or become close to was brutally torn from him, one way or another. He was left with no one. He had nothing. He was empty. A shell, devoid of a soul. ' I'm so sorry, Sakura.. And you're right, you're not a slut. You are a beautiful young woman who deserves someone much better than a broken old man like me..' He tried his hardest to mend the gaping wounds he'd created in their friendship, but to no avail. 'And if that is how you feel, I guess I'll leave you be then.' He mumbled, slowly losing his will to live. 'Good day, madam.'

She watched as he gave a lifeless nod of the head and lethargic wave as he turned and walked away. '_Sakura, what have you done?'_


	2. Confrontation

It had been two weeks since Kakashi had left his house. Two weeks since Sakura had torn out his steel heart and crushed it like it was nothing. The famed Copy ninja had been brought to his knees by a little pink haired medic and a few sharp words. The embarrassment and pain still hung over him like a dark, agonizing cloud. He arms had become littered with scars, evidence of the sorrow he was feeling. Not once had anyone come to see him since he had withdrawn from society to avoid having to meet those beautiful jade eyes glaring daggers at him. 'For fuck sake Hatake, pull yourself together. You're suppose to be emotionally disconnected. Not a fucking pussy.' He mused aloud. _'How'd you become a Jounin Hatake, honestly, you're a disgrace.'_ This was his new routine, wake up in the morning and shower, then spend the rest of the day either mentally harming himself, physically harming himself, or sleeping and dreaming of a time before he fell in love. He got out of bed with a sigh and reached for the Kunai he kept by his bed. It was time for some pain.

He watched as the blood ran scarlet lines down his arm and dripped onto the floor, adding the the already large pool of his precious blood. Twice he has brushed death with his finger tips by doing this. He'd cut too deep twice before and lost to much blood which led to him falling unconscious but much to his dismay he woke, as lost and lonely as ever. He spent alot of his time thinking about what led up to where he was now. That one night at the Tavern in the Hidden Mist village, tracking five rouge, high ranking ninjas from Konoha when Kakashi had found Sakura asleep in his room, dressed in nothing but her underwear. He smiled at the memory, oh how innocent she looks while she slept. But it was around then that things started going wrong. He'd left Yamato and Sai downstairs to scout for information while he went to bed, his first mistake. Then he found Sakura and couldn't help but to kiss her, his second mistake. And then when she woke up and, after looking around startled for a moment, pulled him down into a strong embrace and returned his kiss with a heated passion, which he allowed. His third and final mistake. It was as they laid there, wrapped in each others arms, enjoying each others presence that Sai and Yamato were jumped and taken captive by the rouge ninja. Worst part was, that by the time Sakura and Kakashi had woken in the morning, Sai and Yamato had already been killed and butchered as a sign to anyone else who would dare track them down. The memories brought fresh tears to his eyes. For a man who, previous to this occasion, had cried a total of 7 times in his life, these tears were a shock, but that's all he could seem to do these days. Cry.

She hadn't seen his masked face for two whole weeks now and it was killing her. She'd made such a bad mistake by blaming him for what they did. She was the one who had gone out, seeking his presence that night. She was the one who had pulled him down on top of her and kept him from going to check on their team mates. '_Sai, Yamato.. I'm so sorry. What do I do.._' She'd been working herself half to death in order to try and forget about Sai, forget about Yamato and especially, forget about Kakashi and the kisses they'd shared. The way his soft lips met hers and instantly ignited a fire within her. It had all felt right at the time, but looking back on it, it was the worst decision she had ever made. She found herself imagining his handsome face everytime she closed her eyes at night or even to blink. It was going to drive her crazy. She needed to talk to him, or see him, or something. She knew that if they both kept going at this rate they would eventually be driven mad from the pain. She couldn't imagine how Kakashi felt. All alone, no friends or family whatsoever left. And his last friend had tossed him aside like a broken toy. But she was determined to fix it. She would go to his house and fix the mess she made.

He woke from his fitful nightmare covered in blood. His own blood. Groaning, he rolled out of bed, not bothering to put his mask or shirt on, what was the point? He was alone. He always was these days. He somehow managed to stumble his way out to his kitchen without tripping on some sort of rubbish that littered the floor and didn't like what he saw sitting at his table, back turned towards him. 'Sakura..?' He heard his dry throat croak out her name like a dead man back from the grave, which pretty much summed him up. He froze up and inhaled sharply as she turned around and met his eyes, well, eye. He watched her gaze flick down to his chest and stomach which he had forgotten to cover, then flick over to the dozens of wounds covering both his arms and parts of his chest. 'Um, I can expl-' he tried to explain himself weakly when he was cut off.

'Kakashi! What the fuck?!' she screamed. She couldn't believe it. He'd been bleeding his sorrows out, draining himself dry. She noticed the newer looking scars that now littered his arms and chest, weaving intricately through each other. _'How long has this been going on? This is because of what you did to him Sakura, you broke him._' She was completely shocked. She knew he would be sad but she didn't think he would do this. His entire body was covered in dried, caking blood. It knotted in his hair, stained his pants and gave his chest a red gleam, almost mesmerizing 'Kakashi, why..' After she said it, she wondered why she wasted her time, she knew why. 'Know what? Don't answer that, I know why.' she grumbled. 'Just get over here so I can heal you.' No movement. He hadn't budged. All he was doing was standing there, staring out the window at the village, obviously in deep thought, or Cardiac Arrest.

To be honest, her presence scared him, the implications of her visit scared him and he had half a mind to just turn around and go back to bed. But her gaze held him there. The concern was evident in her voice when she observed all his injures._ 'If only she could see the damage to my mind..'_ he thought to himself. They stood in silence for a few minutes after she told him to let her heal him. '_Just walk over there and get healed hatake, it's no biggie, just do it._' His mind told him to go but he stood his ground anyway. He couldn't stand being near her right now. Not how he was and how she was dressed. He couldn't risk losing his cool again. 'Why are you here, Sakura.' Hell, it was even an effort to say her name, no. He couldn't do this. His emotions were already in turmoil, slowly spinning out of control the longer he spent around her, she was the catalyst of his emotional trauma. She was the cause of his pain, but unfortunately, she was also his sorely needed remedy. 'As much as I appreciate the visit, I'd prefer to be alone right now if you don't mind.' He cringed when he realised his tone was alot sharper than he intended, he hoped she didn't pick up on it, but judging from the look that flashed through her eyes, she heard him loud and clear.

'... prefer to be alone right now...' His words rang through her. Who was she kidding? He didn't want to see her, She could tell just by looking into his eye, he was tense and afraid, as if being in the same room as her scared him. '_He's probably afraid of the reason behind your visit, go on, tell him you want to work things out. Do it, Sakura.'_ She mentally scolded herself for being so angry at him for his actions. It wasn't her place to tell him what to do, she had led him to this extreme. He wouldn't even approach her for healing. She felt an ache in her chest at the realization that he obviously despised her and wanted no more to do with her. Well too bad, she wasn't leaving till this was sorted. 'Kakashi, I.. I wanted to talk.' She whispered, attempting a weak smile in his direction. Nothing. No reaction whatsoever. 'Actually, I really wanted to apologise, it was wrong of me to blame you for something that was entirely my fault. I'm sorry, it was immature and childish of me. I just, I needed someone to blame. I couldn't bottle up my anger and hurt anymore, and blaming myself wasn't enough. I lashed out at you and for that I am sincerely sorry. I'm aware of the damage I've caused,' she threw a quick glance at his arms before continuing, 'and I honestly feel like a monster for putting you through all that, especially you.. My last true friend, a man who has endured so much, so much pain and loss..' She was aware that she'd begun to ramble but she had to get it all off her chest. The dam of emotions she'd been building up had all but crumbled away, letting them gush out in the form of a heartfelt apology. She just hoped it would be enough to end this, whatever it is.

That wasn't exactly what he was expecting. An emotional apology from the most stubborn, headstrong Kunoichi in the village, and he was certainly shocked to discover that she'd blamed herself for their actions. Sure she was the one who'd pulled him down, but he should have stopped it, shouldn't have let it happen, but he did, and people died. He listened to her pour her heart out to him and ask for his forgiveness. He didn't know what to say, he just stood there. Quiet as the grave, watching her as she spoke, mesmerised by the way her lips moved. '_Get your mind out of the gutter Hatake_. You've been down that road already and it was messy.' He shook his indecent thoughts of Sakura aside, he couldn't risk losing himself to lust right now. Not at a time like this. 'Sakura,' he whispered, cutting her off mid sentence, 'you don't need to apologise, I'll always be by your side, I can't help myself, everytime I close my eyes I see you. It's driving me crazy, Sakura. I needed you, hell, I still need you, but I thought you hated me. The way you spoke the other day.. It tore me apart inside. I haven't felt that hollow since the death of my father.' When speaking of his father, he distictively avoided using the word suicide, that word struck too close to home. 'I couldn't handle the pain of your hatred.' He whispered, unsure of whether she heard him or not. 'I've always been so aloof. Untouchable, emotions wise. Disconnected, you might say. But somehow you've managed to bring down all my barriers, barriers that have stood for years, you destroyed in moments, just with a smile.' It was his turn to voice his distress of the situation. Her ability to get to him frustrated the shit out of him, he just couldn't get his mind around it. '_How Hatake, how..'_ He found himself asking himself that question more often than not recently. She could both wash away his pains or increase them tenfold, just with a few words. '_Is this what it feels like to love? It's been so long.. I can't remember the sensation of love anymore._.' He mused, attempting to deny these growing feelings for his little pink haired cherry blossom. This couldn't be love, Kakashi Hatake wasn't able to love anyone.

She could feel the crimson blush crawling it's way up her neck towards her face when she listened to his little confession. She'd be lying if she said it didn't rattle her to the core, because frankly, it was the sweetest thing anyone had every said to her, and it came from none other than the famed Copy-ninja of Konoha. She was amazed at how fast the atmosphere in the room changed, one minute it was thick with depression and awkwardness. Then the next minute it was sincere and calm. She must have really hit home with her little outburst of feelings. Suddenly, she was overwhelmed by a nautious feeling of loneliness and it was then that she finally came to appreciate how much she missed him and how much he really meant to her. She turned to gaze out the window only to be greeted by darkness, day had turned to night without her even realizing That meant she'd been there for nearly three hours. How the time passed so quickly was beyond her, but all she knew was that she was emotionally drained and physically tired, her body yearned for sleep. She could tell by his posture that he was beyond tired as well. Near the brink of exhaustion from the looks of things. 'Kakashi, I could never hate you, even if I tried. That smile you spoke of, it's one I can only make for you.' She knew it sounded corny but it was the truth, he was the source of her happiness and in the two weeks they were apart, she had never felt so empty inside. Like a piece of her was missing, and she hated it. Now she felt whole again. 'But hey, I guess it's getting late, so I should probably head home.' She mumbled her words softly, while she moved for the door. Just as she opened it she turned and looked into his eye, he still hadn't responded. He looked to be stuck in thought, conflicted over something so she decided it would be better to just leave. But then, he spoke.

'Sakura, wait.'  
The words slipped out of his mouth on their own accord. 'I, uh. I don't want to be alone tonight. Please, just. Stay. Just for tonight?' He pleaded weakly, not having the effort to raise his voice any louder. none the less, she heard him.  
'Are you sure Kakashi?' She spoke sweetly.  
Gods, even her voice was driving him crazy.  
'Yeah, I'm sure.'  
She didn't say anything as she turned, closed the door, and without a sound, drifted over to where Kakashi stood, staring into his lone eye and embraced him in a tight hug. He could feel her tears dripping down his chest as she buried her head in the crook of his neck, obviously struggling against the weight of her emotions. 'It's going to be fine Sakura, I'm not going to leave you again, I will protect you. I promise.  
_'There you go again Hatake, making promises you know you can't keep, you're both high rank ninja, death on the battlefield is always a high risk. You won't always be able to ride to her rescue Kakashi._'  
The promise seemed to give Sakura her strength back though. Her tears stopped and she stood up abruptly, suddenly aware of the taboo contact she was making with her team leader. Her actions made him laugh. For the first time in a long time he laughed, and it felt good. 'Don't worry about it Sakura, I'm here if you need me.' He wasted no time and wrapped her up in his arms once more, neither of the caring about the blood that now covered them both, all that mattered was that they were together again.  
Her heart fluttered in her chest when he made the promise to protect her. She knew it was selfish, but she wanted Kakashi all to herself. She didn't want him riding to anyone elses rescue, she wanted him to be there when she needed him most. His arms around her made her melt. She felt as though nothing else mattered, she even looked past the fact that he was soaked to the bone with his own blood. 'Kakashi, you tired?' She questioned, even though she knew the answer.  
'I feel like I could sleep for a week, Sakura.' He breathed his words into her ear, sending shivers and tingles down her spine.  
'_I wonder how that breath would feel down ther-_' She cut off her thoughts as they spun wildly out of control and began to imagine Kakashi's body on her own, rubbing, grinding. She couldn't afford to think like that, she wasn't some horny schoolgirl, she could control her emotions. 'I guess you should head to bed then, don't worry about me, I'll set myself up on the couch. You just go rest up, I can understand that today would have been extremely taxing on your mind and body.' She set off for the linen cupboard for some sheets when he spoke in that low, sexy voice once more.  
'You don't have to sleep on the couch Sakura.'  
'I won't have you sleeping on the couch in the condition you're in Kakashi.' Her inner medic kicked in. She knew it wouldn't help him in the least sleeping on that small, cramped surface.  
'I had no intention of sleeping on the couch, all I meant was that you don't have to either, it's awfully uncomfortable.'  
Her brow scrunched up in confusion for a few moments before she grasped what he really meant. 'You mean, me? Share a bed with you?' she said with a stutter that would give Hinata a run for her money. He merely shrugged his shoulders in exasperation.  
'You're more than welcome, but I do understand if you decline, but hey, think of the perks. You can tell all your friends that you slept with the one and only Kakashi Hatake.' He dropped a wink in her direction and without another word, turned and sauntered off to his room. '_Great, he's back to his usual goofy, perverted self._' She smiled at the thought, glad that he was slowly starting the trip back to sanity. She decided that she would take him up on his offer. She had no problem with free cuddles and spooning with a handsome man. And the bragging rights were an obvious bonus.

As he walked off to his room, leaving a blushing Sakura in his wake, he took his time to collect his thoughts. So much had happened in such a small space of time, it was amazing. And now he got to spend the night with a beautiful woman. '_That is if she accepts your invitation Hatake, you were pretty blunt._' He put those thoughts aside, of course she would come. She had to. He refused to spend another night alone. He felt so full of life again. Back to his old, joking self. He did a half hearted clean-down of his room, brushing the rubbish to the side just incase Sakura did decide to join him. He smelt her before he saw her. The strong strawberry scent she always carried drifted into his room and he inhaled deeply. Savoring the beautiful scent. 'So, it took her a grand total of ten minutes to cave.' In those ten minutes, he'd stripped out of his blood soaked trousers and donned a new pair of boxers to sleep in. Surely she wouldn't mind if he was a bit underdressed. He opened his eye to look at her and was shocked by what he saw. Sakura was standing in the doorway watching him, dressed in nothing but her panties.  
'Close your eyes Kakashi!'  
It was then he realised he'd let his Sharingan slid open to admire the milky flesh of her chest. she was a high C cup size and to be honest, this sight wasn't one he wanted to forget. He'd already memorised it with his Sharingan by the time she told him to stay decent, so he let both his eyes drift closed as he mumbled an apologie.  
'I, uh, wasn't exactly wearing a bra when I can over and, well. My other clothes were all blood stained an-' She had begun to ramble and as much as he loved her voice, He wanted her to shut up and get in his bed so he could wrap his arms around her once more. So he cut her off. 'Sakura, shut up and get over here.' He laced his words with a nice dose of gentleness which seemed to do the trick. She slowly walked over to the right side of the bed and slipped in under the sheets. Wordlessly, she rolled over and, both threw her arms over Kakashi and went to rest her head on his chest. He took no time in putting his right arm over her shoulders and pulling her even tighter towards him. He could feel the soft, bare skin of her breasts flush against the side of his chest, and to be honest, it was the best he'd felt in a long time.  
'The perks of sleeping with Kakashi Hatake..' she mumbled, almost inaudiable. And just like that, the two of them slowly drifted off into a sound slumber, finding comfort in each others embrace. Something that neither of them had experienced for a long, long time.


	3. The new mission

The fiece sunlight woke Sakura from her much appreciated sleep and what she woke to was something she never thought she'd experience. She couldn't believe it, her, Sakura Haruno had spent the night with Kakashi Hatake. They'd spent the night wrapped in each others arms and she noticed that last night was the first time she'd slept soundly, without being plagued by nightmares. It was all thanks to the man who's arms locked her in a powerful embrace. Last night, this man who was reknown for his disconnected personality had bared his soul to her and poured out his wants, needs, fears and secrets. She spent a few moments trying to grasp the full extent of what it all meant when suddenly, she was snatched from her thoughts by a pleasurable friction on her breasts, caused by her handsome company as he rolled around in his sleep. It only took a few moments for her to realise what the sensation was. Her chest was bare, she had no top on. 'You took it off last night, remember, Haruno?' Indeed she did remember. She also remembered watching Kakashi's Sharingan slid open to memorise the sight that was before him. She blushed at the thought, 'he's got that image stored somewhere in his brain now.' She tried to bring herself to be mad at him for him, but she couldn't. Not after last night. Not after he held her tight and whispered sweet nothings in her ear as they drifted between consciousness and a blissful sleep. 'Hnn, morning beautiful,' came the groggy voice of her favourite man. Finally, he was awake. He instantly took advantage of his position and pulled her tighter to him and buried his face between her breasts, silver hair tickling her nose. Feebly she attempted to push the cute pervert off her but to no avail, her heart didn't want him to move. He looked up at her through lidded eyes, a playful smirk plastered across his rugged features, 'you're such a pervert Hatake,' she said with a playful grin of her own. 'Hey! To be fair, YOU'RE the one in MY bed without YOUR shirt on, I mean come on, what's a man to do?' He had a point. 'Never the less, the boob fondling was such a pervert move,' she joked back, refusing to back down from this. 'Deny it all you want my little cherry blossom, you loved it.' That grin was just getting larger and larger. Suddenly an idea popped into her mind, staring into his eyes with a seductive smile she replied, 'who said I was denying it, Hatake?' She laced her voice with flirtatious venom. That hit the spot. She watched as his face flushed to a bright red and he looked away from her eyes.

Before he could formulate a witty response he heard his front door burst open. There was only one person who made such an entrance. Naruto was here. 'KAKASHI, YO, WHERE ARE YOU MAN!'  
'Oh shit..' he felt Sakuras words reverberate through her chest and it shook his cheek slgihtly. That was when he realised his face was still buried in her chest and she had no top on. His mind was running at a million miles an hour. He was still in a sleepy haze and the thoughts weren't piecing together properly. It wasn't until Naruto had burst into his bedroom with that goofy smile of his did Kakashi realise what was wrong. 'Sakura? What are you..' he trailed off as he noticed Kakashi's presence. 'Kakashi.. WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE?' He screamed out his words with a strong sense of anger.  
'Naruto, I can explain.' Spoke Sakura, somehow managing to keep a calm tone despite the crimson blush spreading across her face and down her neck.  
'Go on then, enlighten me. Tell me why you're in Kakashi's bed.' Growled Naruto. Obviously mad at the Copy Ninja for taking advantage of his friend.  
Kakashi felt like he should move from Sakura's chest, but to be honest, he didn't really care what Naruto thought about the situation, Hokage or not he was still Naruto, Konohas number one knucklehead ninja.  
'Well..' Sakura tried to explain, but it was pointless. She didn't want to tell Naruto why she was in Kakashi bed without her top on. Kakashi could tell jsut from that look on her face. She was afraid and nervous, so he thought he'd take over from where she left off.  
'Naruto, listen up, cause I'm only gunna go over this once, alright?' sighed Kakashi, wishing nothing more than to go back to his dreamless sleep.  
'Whatever'  
'Good. Now, where to start..' He thought for a while. As Hokage, Naruto was naturally well informed of everything that happened in the village. And he knew about Sai and Yamato's unfortunate fates. 'Alright, well, as you're aware, while on a mission in the Hidden Mist Village our team members, Sai and Yamato were taken down by the rogue nins we were tracking. And as I'm sure you're aware, both Sakura and myself were harshly affected by this, both blaming ourselves for what happened to our friends.' Kakashi was struggling to get all this out without breaking down again.  
'Yeah but what the hell does that have to do with my SENSEI sleeping with his STUDENT.' shouted Naruto, on the brink of losing his cool. Kakashi had to end this quickly to avoid a messy ending.  
'If you'd let me finish what I was fucking saying, you'd know why already.' Kakashi was sick of this shit. 'We had a huge fight two weeks ago and until last night we'd avoided each other, needless to say, I spent the two weeks cutting myself and destroying my own mind all while on the brink of suicide. But Sakura showed up in my appartment last night and all that changed, we had a talk and we made up. But.. I didn't want to be alone anymore. I just wanted someone around, someone to care. I'm sure you can relate Naruto.' He knew he'd hit the nail on the head with that last comment. He was right. If anyone knew lonliness, it was Naruto.  
'I do understand Kakashi. But that still doesn't explain why her top is off.' He growled.  
'I am right here you know Naruto, stop talking like I'm not.' Sakura growled back at him.  
'Sorry, Sakura chan..' He mumbled. Rubbing the back of his head with his right hand, a habit he'd grown into since he bacame Hokage.  
'Her top is off because she hugged me.' He said simply.  
'Um..'  
Kakashi laughed when he saw Naruto rub his head again. Obviously not understanding. 'I was soaked with my own blood, Sakura hugged me and got it all over her shirt, and she, by some stroke of luck on my part, didn't have a bra on. So she just took it off. I assure you Naruto, as a teacher and as a friend. Nothing happened last night.'

Naruto wasn't sure whether or not he wanted to believe his old sensei. After all, his face was, and still is, lying on top of Sakura's chest, and she seems completely fine with it. 'Have a little more faith in your old sensei Naruto. He wouldn't lie to you about something like this.' As much as he told himself that, he couldn't shake the feeling that something HAD indeed happened last night. Something that made something change between the two of them. Ugh, he needed answers. Too many things could have happened, but Naruto realised that he wasn't wanted in the room at that time. He'd have to get his information some other time. But then he realised his original reasons for visiting Kakashi this early in the morning. 'Kakashi, can I speak with you for a moment, in private.' He guestured at the door and Kakashi took the hint. Groaning he rolled out of bed and Naruto noticed that Sakura blushed and hurried to cover herself in Narutos presence. He grinned at the fact. He took his leave from the room to give Kakashi the decency to get dressed. A few minutes later Kakashi appeared with his usual, blank face on.  
'What is it you needed to talk to me about?' He knew it was serious.  
'Kakashi, I have a mission for you.' Naruto stated bluntly, and the Copy Ninja didn't look too happy about what he'd said.  
'You mean you woke me up from the best sleep I've ever had, with the woman I lo-..' He watched as Kakashi took his time to consider his words carefully. 'The woman I care about most in this world, and you take me away from all that, just to tell me I have a mission?' He growled out his words with a grit. He really was agitated.  
'This isn't just any mission Kakashi, this is an S rank assassination mission in Suna.' Naruto was dreading what he had to say next. 'Due to the fragile nature of this mission, you'll be gone for at least 3 years Kakashi..' He watched as Kakashi's face changed from impassive to disbelief then to anger.  
'What the fuck Naruto! I only just manage to find some fucking happiness in my life and you manage to find a mission that'll take all that away from me for 3 whole fucking years? Know what, fuck you Naruto, find someone else, I'm going back to bed.' He had no choice, Naruto grabbed Kakashi's arm.  
'Kakashi, there is no one else, as your Hokage, I order you to take this mission and see it through to the end. I'm no longer tell you this as a friend, I'm telling you as The Hokage, the village comes first Kakashi, you know that as well as I do.' He closed his eyes in exaspiration. He hated having to force this on Kakashi, after all, the man was one of the few who understood the pain Naruto had faced as a young boy.

Kakashi yanked his arm from Naruto's grip. He knew Naruto was right, the village came first, it always did. 'Fuck.. Naruto, I've always put the village first, you know that, but please, don't make me do this. My whole life I've put duty before my own needs and wants, and what did I get in return? The honour of killing my own team mate. I had to put my fucking hand through her heart for this village. I lost my mentor and your father for the sake of this village and I've lost countless others all because of my duty. Please, don't make me lose another one..' As a ninja, he easily noticed Narutos features tighten, he obviously understood the pains Kakashi was facing, but he was right, The Leaf came first and as its Hokage, he had to do what had to be done.  
'I already told you Kakashi, I'm not asking you, I'm ordering you. You have to leave tonight..' Naruto didn't get to finish what he was saying, nor did Kakashi care.  
'What the fuck! I don't even get to spend time with Sakura before I go. This is complete and utter bullshit, Naruto!' He spat his words with a venom. He didn't want to go, he wanted to stay with Sakura and hold her and tell her everything would be fine. That they could move past Sai and Yamato and on to a brighter future. But no. Now he had less than six hours with her before he had to leave for 3 years, possibly more. He hated it. He knew this would break her apart as much as it was destroying him. But again, he realized Naruto was right. Kakashi had to put his emotions aside once more and do what needed to be done. And he was the only one who could do it.

**I know it's quite a short chapter but I felt it necessary to end it here, the next chapter will be about how Sakura reacts to Naruto's decision.  
Read and Review. ^_^ 3 **


	4. I will never forget

'That Baka! I'll kill him!' She screamed furiously. She tore her hands through her hair, 'how could he do this to you? Me? Us?! UGH!' She was sick and tired of it all, she was almost tempted to suggest leaving the village and starting a new life somewhere else, but one look at Kakashi's pained eye and she knew, she could tell he was struggling with the very same decision she was. And she already knew what the end result would be. Kakashi may be lazy, perverted and detached but no matter what, he always put the village before himself. No matter what the situation. This time was no exception. Kakashi would do as he was told but that didn't mean he had to do it quietly. She had a feeling he was going to make quite the fuss.  
'He's just doing his job Sakura, he has no choice and as much as I hate to admit it he's right, I have to go.' He sighed in defeat.  
Maybe she was wrong, it seemed that Kakashi was resigned to his fate. Suddenly, she felt her anger at Naruto melt away into a deep sadness. 'But 'Kashi, three years is a long time, alot can change in three years..' She couldn't bring herself to look at him, lest the tears that she'd been fighting back spill out and trace a watery path of sadness down her cheeks.  
'Nothing will change Sakura, my feelings won't change and I sure hope yours don't either. I'll always be there for you. I don't want to lose you again, my cherry blossom.' And with those words, he closed the gap between the two and embraced her in a tight, loving hug. Not trusting herself to speak at the time, she wordlessly tucked her head into the crook of his neck and simply tried to enjoy the moment while it lasted, considering the next few hours would be the last she spent with him for 3 years, possibly more.

He could feel her silent tears slowly rolling down his chest but opted to ignore them after all, he could tell she was trying her hardest not to cry in front of him. Why? He had no idea, she should know that he was there for her. To support her. To help in any possible way he could. But she was extraordinarily stubborn which probably had something to do with it. As they stood there wrapped in each others arms, his mind could only focus on his little cherry blossom. He thought about how the light would illuminate the beautiful jade eyes of hers or how the pink locks framed her face. He thought to himself, 'Honestly, Sasuke had to be either gay or crazy to turn this beauty down so many times. not that I'm complaining.' He smirked to himself, slightly pleased with his little joke. 'So Sakura, we've got like, 5 hours left together, what do you wanna do?' He gave her his trademark eye crinkle when she raised her head from his chest to look him in the eye. He watched her take a deep breath before speaking.  
'I don't care Kakashi, as long as I'm with you.'  
'Well that settles it. We're going to stay at home for a while and then head to the Hokage monument. I have something for you, my dear.' Kakashi noticed the twinkle appear in her eye as he mentioned his gift. He had one in mind, all he had to do was find it.

The following hours pasted as a blur for Sakura, she couldn't manage to take it all in. Time was slowly slipping away and was taking Kakashi with it. She couldn't stop the heavy cloud of dread that floated around her conscience, plaguing her mind with fear and darkness. Her mind was snapped back to reality by the sensation of warm lips on her own. Unfortunately, the pleasure was all but over before it even began, as Kakashi pulled his face away to meet her eyes.  
'You seem a bit distant Sakura, I'd ask what's wrong but I'd have to be blind to not understand why. But if there is anything,' she noticed the emphasis on anything, ' that I can do to help you in some way, just tell me, I'll do it in a heartbeat.' She could see it in his eyes. They were full of love and the desperation to prove it.  
'You're right, you would have to be blind not to know why, but as for having anything anything to make me feel better? There's nothing you can do about it. We've just got to tough it out.' He said her words with a grit. She didn't want him to leave, he was all she had on her mind and she couldn't get enough of him, but their time was drawing to a close. Turning away from him she said, 'but hey, what about that trip to the Hokage faces? I'd like to watch the sunset with you Kakashi.' She threw a soft smile in his direction and disappeared out the door.

'What have you done Hatake?' He smiled as the thoughts crossed his mind. 'Made the best decision in his life.' He chuckled to himself. She was his. The beautiful cherry blossom of Konoha had given her heart to him. Him and no one else. She'd left behind the foolish ambition of bringing Sasuke back. She'd put her former feelings for him aside and replaced them with the budding seed of his love. He felt his smile dissipate as his thoughts wandered into the dark recesses of his mind. She'd given him her heart and he had to go and get an S rank mission for 3 years. He felt his momentary happiness slip through his fingers as he grasped desperately, trying his hardest to see the light in the deep darkness. Unfortunately for the grieving Copy-Ninja, the only salvation, the only light at the end of the tunnel laid 3 years away, on the other side of a horribly long and lonely mission in Suna. His thoughts were interrupted by an unexpected, but welcome visitor. "Heh, women. So troublesome.."  
"Yo, Shikamaru, what are you doing here?" He was surprised by the mans visit, but not at all displeased, Shikamaru was one of the few people Kakashi could actually tolerate with a good attitude.  
"Naruto told me about your mission in Suna. I came to wish you luck. I also heard about your little problem with Sakura, and honestly, I feel for you man. He shouldn't be doing this to you. But hey, we live the life of a ninja, nothing we can do to change that." He clapped Kakashi on the back.  
"Yeah, but that doesn't make it any easier to live with man. Up until recently I haven't know happiness, only the pretense of it. But when I'm around her, I just don't know.. She's changed me, that's for sure." He knew it was true. He could feel the change in his heart of hearts. "Until recently, seeing Kakashi Hatake showing affection or care was a sporadic event, something that happened very rarely. And yet now, everytime I'm with her a side of me that I never knew existed comes out and I actually feel happy inside. Ugh, I sound so Cliche and cheesy." He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, he'd better get going. He wanted to spend as much time with Sakura as he could.  
"I dunno Kakashi. Women are too troublesome. My advice is to stay away from that sort of work. But hey, I guess you'll be wanting to go spend time with Sakura, so I'll leave you be. See ya later Kakashi." He waved his goodbye and vanished out the window he'd entered through. Kakashi sighed again, and them jogged out the door to catch up to Sakura.

She'd been walking at a slow pace for at least 5 minutes and she was yet to see Kakashi anywhere nearby. 'Maybe you shouldn't have just left like that. Maybe you should have waited. This mission has been weighing him down pretty heavily so far.' She pondered on the words for a while, before muttering to herself, 'maybe I should head back and check on him..' She turned on her heel and was about to start off towards his house when she bumped straight into the man in question. She couldn't stop the squeal from slipping out.  
He laughed. Straight up laughed at her and the awkward noise that had just left her mouth.  
'That was a cute little squeal. Heh, and as you can see, there's no need to go treasure hunting. I'm right here.'  
She watched as his eye crinkled, indicating the handsome smile beneath the mysterious mask of his. Although it wasn't too mysterious to her anymore. 'Treasure hunting aye Hatake? Pfft, please. You're hardly worth the effort.' She laughed and went to take his arm in her own when he backed away from her with his hand over his heart, an exaggerated pout barely visible through the mask.  
'Your sharp words pierce my shattered heart, dearest Sakura. Do you think so lowly of the one who admires you wholeheartedly?' He spoke the words fluently, almost poetically, and she couldn't help but smile. Without a word, she lent up on her toes, and pressed a chaste, but loving kiss on his masked lips. She couldn't help but laugh when she felt him try and return the kiss, only to be hindered by that mask of his, so instead he pulled her into an embrace. 'Sometimes Sakura, you make me want to be rid of this mask, so I can feel your lips forever..'  
'Maybe after you get back? Maybe then we can give it a try.' She whispered her words softly into his chest, not wanting to move.  
'Maybe.. Anyway, we shuld get going. We are running out of time.'  
She gazed up at the sky. He was right. They probably only had half an hour before sunset and then he'd be gone.

They'd arrived at Hokage mountain just about ten minutes before sunset due to the fact that they had taken their time walking around the village, appreciating each others company. He let his mind roam over his memories of her. 'You gotta keep these precious to you Hatake, these memories will be your only solice in the years to come.' Snapping from his thoughts, he threw a glance at Sakura and once again, was entranced by her beauty. He knew their relationship was taboo and frowned upon by the people of the leaf, he could see it in their eyes as the two walked through the village. A mentor falling in love with his student. Of course it would be frowned upon.  
'Kakashi? What's wrong? Stop staring at me like that.' She squealed.  
Still entranced in his thoughts, he didn't hear what she said and thus, continued to stare.  
'Kakashi!' She screamed his name and whacked him over the back of the head, snapping him from his thoughts. 'You little pervert, stop looking at me like that. It's surprisingly sexy and I'm finding it hard to stay away from you with that look in your eye.' He noticed the blush she was attempting to fight back. It was a futile struggle and in the end her face was consumed by a bright red tinge.  
'Sorry about that, I was just, uh, thinking. Yeah. Thinking.' He shrugged his shoulders at the glare she was shooting at him, a smile playing on his lips.  
Hitting him again she said 'whatever sick thoughts that are running through your mind, cut em out you creepy old man. Now is not the time and it's definitely not the place. We're on Narutos head for crying out loud.' She had a point, It probably wasn't wise to have sex with one of the Hokage's closest friends, on top of his monument. Never the less, he couldn't help it, his imagination was one thing he couldn't control.  
'Well okay, but keep that in mind. Sex on Naruto's head is a definite must do when I get back.' He watched as his comment had the desired effect and a large grin spread across her face.  
'You say it so calmly, as if sex on a giant stone carving of our friend and the villages Hokage is an everyday occurance.' She turned her back to him and in an instant he was behind her, mouth pressed up against her ear and in a low whisper he muttered, 'Maybe we can make it an everyday thing, aye, cherry blossom?' He thought he was pretty smooth but it seemed like wasn't so impressed.  
'You think you can get in my pants just like that? No struggle? Oh darling, you are sorely mistaken.'  
'After three years I have a feeling you won't be able to help yourself. I mean, come on. Who can resist this sexy body.' Upon finishing his sentence he spun her around and struck a provocative pose, just to emphasize his point.  
'You know Kakashi, you might just have a point there. But hey, we aren't here to talk about these dirty things, we're here to watch a sunset and enjoy each others company, just, promise you won't forget me Kakashi. Three years can be a long time.'  
'I will never forget..' And so without another word, Kakashi, the copy-ninja who had copied over a thousand jutsu and was known for his detached nature, sat down on top of Naruto's stone head and wrapped up his cherry blossom in a tight, loving embrace. One that they would both share in memory forever.


	5. Drink till you forget

Their time together came to an end far to quickly, and it was all Sakura could do to not cry, but she couldn't hold it back. As she watched the man she loved walk away for three years, she couldn't help but to cry. He mind was in a constant war with itself, whether to keep moving forward or to linger on the precious memories on him. She remembered the words he'd spoken to her before her left. 'Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, blood for blood, we've all gotta die someday, Sakura. If I die out there, get those bastards for me, aye Cherry Blossom?'He gave her one final eye crinkle and head nod before turning around and beginning his long journey to Suna.  
She ghosted his final words as her cheeks began to sting, the grief and pain tore at her stomach and her throat was beginning to close up. The pain was getting too much, she needs to be anywhere but there. Preferably out there in the field, watching Kakashi's back. Not that he needed it, after all, he is the famous Copy-Ninja and he didn't just get that name for no reason. He was the best of the best. Kakashi of the Sharingan. And she was his just as he was hers. Averting her thoughts from the silver-haired legend for a moment, she pondered to herself, 'now, what to do for three years..?'  
She'd heard all about Sakura's little relationship with the copy ninja from Naruto. He'd told her during one of their many recent meetings to discuss things, to help her get away from the weight of her problems. Ino found solace in Naruto for one reason or another, and she wasn't quite sure what he meant to her just yet. After all, he was the Hokage of the leaf and she was just a pathetic ninja who worked part time at a flower shop. 'Maybe I should go find forehead, after all, wasn't today the day Kakashi left?' She pondered the thought for a moment before coming to the conclusion that yes, Kakashi had already left the village to go off on his little mission in Suna. And so, on that note she set out to find her childhood friend and comfort her in anyway she could. It hadn't taken Ino long to find her friend. She told Sakura it was because of her billboard brow as a joke but in reality, Ino knew she wouldn't have moved from the main gate yet, probably lost in thought. Plus, the pink hair just made it all the more easy to locate her in the crowds. 'Hey forehead, I heard you're probably feeling a bit lost without your cute silver lover, so, to make up for it. Girls night!' She chucked a fist in the air and at the same time clapped her friend on the back in a cheery manner. Desperate to raise the girls spirits no matter what.  
'Did you really just call my boyfriend, Kakashi Hatake, cute? Come on Ino, have a little respect.' The pink haired Kunoichi chuckled her words out, as a slight smile crossed Ino's lips. It was working. She was on the path to happiness.  
'Well, yeah. I'd be lying if I said he wasn't cute. But aye, I never picked you as the type who was into the older guys. Or maybe it's the angsty past? That would explain him and Sasuke.' She threw a wink in her friends direction and watched her face as she laughed. It was true laughter. Not like the fake shit that she'd used for so long when they discussed Sasuke, or when Ino herself spoke to Naruto about Sai. Maybe Kakashi had truely changed this pink haired Kuinoichi for the better.  
'But hey, I do like the idea of a girls night, It'll be fun.' Sakura said with a smile, and with that, the two girls took off in search of their friends.

He needed a drink. Naruto had been stuck in the office doing paperwork the entire day and didn't even manage to catch Kakashi before he left which honestly pissed him off the most. If he'd known all the work that was required to be Hokage he would have gladly settled for a Jounin class ninja ranking. Sighing for what seemed to be the hundreth time that day, he finished his most recent stack of work and before Shizune could bring anymore for him he silently slipped out of the window. As he slowly drifted through the streets of Konoha, he took his time to enjoy the light breeze and the clear streets during his twilight stroll. It wasn't often these days that he could just leave all his responsibilities and cares behind and just be himself, in his own mind again. The soft wind felt refreshing and calming on his face as he came to a stop at training ground three. Where it all began. He slowly slid his eyes closed as he tilted he head towards the coming stars and let his mind wander. He'd come such a long way since he first came to this place. And he wasn't the only one. Sakura and the rest of his friends had all progressed and matured so well and they all led a successful ninja career to date. Even Kakashi, ever since his battle with Pain had dedicated himself to becoming a stronger ninja. But then Sai and Yamato's deaths happened and Naruto watched from a distance as both Kakashi and Sakura slowly slipped away from this world and into a world of their own. Locked in a nightmare of their own minds. It honestly had pained Naruto to see some of his closest friends in so much pain but he had been so occupied with so many other things. First there was the fact that Sai and Yamato were his friends as well, and while he had no connection to their deaths, he did feel the sting of losing two close friends and comrades. Then there was his duties as Hokage. No matter how hard he tried, he could never escape them for long. It was only at during times like this when he could be free and let his duties go, even if it was only for a moment. And finally he had his promise to Ino. He swore to her that he would help her through the loss of Sai and Asuma. Along with all her other smaller problems, he'd effectively become her therapist and he really didn't mind. He'd grown exceptionally close to Ino Yamanaka. Of all the people in the leaf, Ino was one of the ones who he never expected, in his entire life, that he would become best friends with. She was beautiful, amazingly smart and an overall joy to be around, when she wasn't in a bad mood that is. He'd grown to love her company and the many conversations they'd shared, even the gloomy ones, simply because it gave his life a meaning besides his duties as Hokage. It gave him something to look forward to and to cherish in his mind. 'Maybe this is how Kakashi feels when he is with Sakura? Maybe.. Could this be the start of something new.. _Maybe I shouldn't have flipped out so badly the other day when I found the two of them together. Whatever makes them happy I guess, it's their lives._' His inner monologue slowly drifted from topic to topic, never focusing on a single one for long. But no matter what it drifted to. It always ended up returning to thoughts of Ino. He shook his head and turned his back to his former training field. He needed a drink.

After rounding up Hinata and Tenten, Sakura and Ino headed back to Ino's place to get ready for the night out and Sakura already knew exactly what she was planning on wearing. The dress Kakashi had bought for her before he'd left. A strapless, frilly dress that fades from a bright aqua to a similar shade of pink to her hair. She was honestly speechless when Kakashi gave it to her after all, she had no gift for him. She hadn't been on a mission is a while and was struggle to even feed herself. Thankfully he understood but to compensate he claimed to be entitled to one hundred kisses when he returned, which she intended to give him with pleasure. Obviously following in Sakura's example, Ino wore a dress that she'd been given by Naruto about a week prior during one of their days together. It was a simple frill dress with shoulder straps and frills down the length of it. The most intriguing feature however was the colour. The dress was a deep violet, Ino's favourite. _'Naruto certainly has grown up I see. He finally knows how to treat a woman.'_ Sakura was the most shocked of all people to see Naruto and Ino bond together so closely. They've always been opposites, fighting over anything and everything. She sighed to herself. The more she thought about it, the more it confused her, so she tucked her thoughts away into the back of her mind, making sure not to think about it and directing her attention to the stunning Hyuuga who stood shyly in front of her, fidgeting with her fingers and seeming to be trying to sink into the background. Unfortunately for her, while she was sporting a low cut sparkly dress that reached her mid-thigh, that wasn't going to happen. Although it wasn't the normal Hinata style, Sakura had to admit it looked stunning on the girl. She squealed as Sakura's gaze dropped to her overly exposed cleavage.  
'St-stop staring, Sakura.' She stuttered, self-consciously crossing her arms over her chest in a desperate attempt to block the stares. 'Seriously. Ino, you too. Stop it!' She shrieked while the two other girls giggled, finding her blushing Hyuga quite entertaining.  
'You realize that we aren't the only one's that'll stare right? We are going to a bar, think of the sleazy guys who aren't Naruto?' Sakura emphasized the word 'aren't' and got the desired blush. She laughed to herself and turned her attention to Tenten who was just emerging from the bathroom, clad in a loose and flowing scarlet dress that frilled down from the waist. Her hair in its usual double bun and a little makeup splashed across her feminine features. Sakura wasn't going to lie to herself. Her friend could look dam sexy when she wanted to. With a nod to Ino, Sakura stood up from where she had been sitting and spoke, 'so. We're all ready, yeah? Alright. Let's rock this town.'

He downed his latest shot of Sake with a fierce demeanor. He'd been at the bar for about an hour and he still couldn't feel the effects of the alcohol. '_It must be the ninja training..' _He was sick of this weight on his shoulders. He had no idea how Tsunade managed to be Hokage through all the stress that the village had seen in the recent years, he couldn't even keep up with everything in a time of peace. _'Maybe that's why ol' granny Tsunade drinks so much aye.' _ He shook his head and ordered another shot. He was intent on drinking till he couldn't feel this stress.  
'Well well, if it isn't our esteemed Hokage getting piss drunk after sneaking out of the office.' The womans laughter drifted through the bar, a laugh that Naruto could recognize anywhere.  
'Ino,' he mumbled, not wanting to turn around. Knowing Ino she was probably dressed like a complete babe and he'd gone to the bar to forget about his growing feelings for the blonde haired beauty.  
'Aww, What's gotcha down Naruto? Maybe we can cheer you up, although we are on a girls night out.. Hmm..' She spoke lightly and acted as if she was pondering the problem at hand. He didn't want to tell her what was wrong, he didn't want to say it was her. _Oh well Naruto, you have company now, you can't just sit here and sulk. Face your problems.'_ He turned to face Ino, and was utterly gob smacked by what he saw. He probably drooled. Standing before him were four of the most beautiful Kunoichi in the village. First there was Tenten dressed in a dazzling scarlet dress that flowed down to just above her ankles, and then there was Hinata who blushed and looked away. She had her hair up in a ponytail on the side of her head and was wearing a dress that complimented her features perfectly. She glanced his way slightly and when she noticed his stare, squealed and looked away again, the blush growing darker. Next to her was Sakura. She was wearing a beautiful aqua and pink dress that he was guessing was a gift from Kakashi, considering he'd been in her closet a few times in the past for one reason or another and he'd never seen that dress. Needless to say it looked great on hair, along with the pink ponytail she had up, she was quite the sight. And last of all there was Ino. _'Dam she's hot.'_ He thought to himself. She looked absolutely stunning in the violet dress he'd bought her a while back and with her hair out of its usual ponytail and just hanging loose around her face in a frame of platinum. He almost choked on the sake he was drinking. She was utterly beautiful.  
'Yo, Naruto? Quit staring you pervert.' She strut her way over to him, over exaggerating the sway in her hips. He was mesmerized. "Naruuuuuto? God, stupid baka. He's drooling.' She smacked him on the head and snapped him out of his trance. 'You act as if you've never seen a few dressed up girls Naruto. God, you're Hokage for crying out loud.' She giggled before continuing, 'and you're probably a virgin.'  
The friendly blow to the head had effectively knocked Naruto out of his little trance but he still had the tell tale strand of saliva dripping from the left side of his lips. Before he had a chance to wipe it away, Ino leaned in and with her index finger, wiped the liquid off the corner of his mouth and slipped it between his lips before leaning her face close to his ear, just so he could feel her warm breath sending tingles down his spine. 'We're going to have to do something about that, aye Naruto-kun?' He shivered at her words. And then it finally sunk in what she meant. He spluttered and choked on absolutely nothing. He stood abruptly in order to get away from that tantalizing breath of hers on his neck. Unable to formulate a response to her comment, he settled with answering her previous question, 'I'm perfectly fine Ino. Just thought I'd take a break from all the paperwork, it was giving me a headache.' He rubbed the back of his head before continuing, 'anyways, what's the occasion?' Gesturing at the four beautiful women before him.  
'Well, not really one in particular, although Sakura probably needed a good night out with the girls to cheer her up a bit. Ya know, considering you sent her poor little baby away.' He could detect the joking tone her comment carried but he still couldn't help but feel bad. He'd brought sadness upon two of his closest friends. He hung his head to the ground and sighed. He couldn't even bring himself to look at Ino in the eye, let alone Sakura. She probably hated him. 'Naruto? I was only joking you know. Damn man.' He heard Ino's light tone slide through his ears but he paid them no attention. It was all he could do to keep himself upright. The emotional turmoil raged on in his head, hidden from his company.  
'Naruto?' He recognized that voice. It pierced the veil that hung over his conscious. It was Sakura. 'I'm not mad at you Naruto you baka, I know you were just doing what was best for the village. We all know that the village comes first. So stop blaming yourself, because I sure don't blame you.' It took him a little while to register what she'd said. She didn't blame him. It felt like a weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. 'Come on, have some fun with us. Loosen up Naruto. It's not often we get to hang out anymore what with you being Hokage and all. Let's just have a good time alright?' She was right. They'd barely seen each other recently and he had to admit, he did miss her.  
'Alright, that's fair enough, I'm down for that. Now ladies, shots?'


	6. Author Note

**Sorry about the authors note but I felt like I needed to warn some of you guys. My next chapter and from that point on throughout my story there will be a strong NaruIno pairing along with KakaSaku, after all, I need some love drama to focus on while Kakashi is away on his mission. Fear not though, I will have insights of both Sakura and Kakashi and their feelings as time passes. And for you NaruHina lovers, don't flame me because I am using NaruIno. My OTP is NaruHina but I felt the need to change it up a bit for this story, so I thought I'd go for NaruIno. So like I said. Please don't flame. It's pointless and childish. Cheers. **


	7. Will you love me?

The next few hours were a near blur for Ino as she took shot after shot with her friends. One by one they all ended up leaving until there was only Naruto and Ino left. It had been about half an hour since Sakura left the two alone in the club, Ino was piss drunk and Naruto was in limbo between a sober state and a drunken state. How he could stomach so much liquor was beyond her. Ino downed another shot when suddenly Naruto grabbed her hand and whisked her out onto the dance floor. She squealed from surprise when he began to grind up against her as he danced to the music. She took awhile to understand what had just happened, but when it all clicked into place she grinned and returned the gesture in earnest. They continued to dance together until the upbeat song was replaced by a slower, more loving theme. Ino, not wanting to be separated from Naruto just yet, grasped his arm and pulled him back to the dance floor and much to his surprise, leaned her cheek against the crook in his neck and began to slowly shuffle along with the romantic soundtrack. He soon caught on and rested his head on top of hers, arms around her holding her tightly as they moved silently, their body's telling each other things that they never could in words. Their embrace remained intact long after the song had ended, as the two young souls struggled to find themselves amidst the turmoil of feelings rushing through their minds. After realizing that they were just standing in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by severely hormonal teenage ninjas, they took their leave. It was only then that Ino noticed how hot and flustered she'd become while dancing and when the cold air hit her, it was a great relief. She closed her eyes for a brief moment and sucked in a deep breath of air to calm her shaky hands and nerves. She released her pent up breath and turned to face Naruto who had been studying her face carefully, as if trying to make up his mind over something. She blushed under his gaze and in a feeble attempt to hide it, she turned her back to him and gazed across the street, eyes looking for anything she could use to divert his gaze. She found nothing. '_Come on Ino, say something, it's obvious that he's waiting for something. Anything.' _Despite her mental encouragement, Ino couldn't find the words she needed and so she continued to stare into the night, oblivious of the thoughts running through her blonde companions mind. She wasn't sure whether it was seconds or minutes that past, but they were some of the longest of her life. She stood silently, trying to come to terms with the unsaid emotions between her and the handsome Hokage who was currently watching the back of her head with the eyes of a hawk. Without warning, Naruto closed the gap between them and in moments, had his arms around her waist and his face leaning dangerously close to her ear. She felt his warm breath on her as she gulped and suddenly, he spoke. 'Ino, I think I.. I think I love you.'  
The words were a welcome shock to her ears and without feeling the need to reply with words, she replied with her body instead. She gyrated her body slowly, neither breaking his grip on her waist, nor putting anymore space between the two confused ninjas and after looping her arms around his neck, she gave him the only answer he'd ever need. She leaned up on her toes and pressed her lips firmly to his own. Now, she wasn't going to lie to herself, she knew she had a reputation for getting around and despite the fact that she was still a virgin she had kissed a fair share of guys. But as far as how good the kisses were, well, they varied but that's what made this chaste kiss with Naruto so different and unique from the rest. This light kiss sent sparks shooting to every nerve in her body and she shuddered when she felt the tingles from her toes to her forehead. She'd never reacted this way to such a simple kiss before and it was all the proof she needed to confirm her feelings for Konoha's number one knucklehead ninja.

She was kissing him. Ino Yamanaka was kissing him, Naruto. He couldn't process it. He was expecting her to hit him or storm off, anything besides turning around and kissing him. '_Pull yourself together Naruto; don't act like some little kid about this, so what if it's your first real kiss.' _He tightened his grip on Ino's waist and deepened the kiss. He wasn't sure if he was doing it right, considering the fact that it was his first kiss. Now that wasn't something he went around telling everyone. He was actually pretty embarrassed by it, but he had nothing to worry about now. His little confession had the desired effect. A minute passed before the two lovers broke apart in desperate need of air and after a few moments catching their breath, Ino spoke, 'Well, wasn't that something, aye Naruto?' She giggled and embraced him in a tight hug. Before he got a chance to respond, she spoke again. 'I love you too.'  
He was ecstatic. He could feel the grin tugging at his face and he eventually couldn't hold it anymore. 'Ino, oh god, I can't believe this is happening.' He broke the hug and rubbed the back of his head with his trademark sheepish grin from ear to ear. He felt relieved of a ton of pressure for the second time that evening and it was great. He felt light as a feather and free as a bird. With a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye, he asked the big question. 'Ino, will you be my girlfriend?' He watched her put her index finger on her lip with her eyes off in the distance, pretending to ponder on the question.  
'Hmm, I suppose I could manage that. But you have to promise to make time for me, Hokage or not, you're my boyfriend first and all powerful ninja ruler second. Okay? Okay. Anyway, I need to head home; mum will kill me if I'm too late. So, night Naruto, love you!' And like that she was gone. Leaving Naruto alone with his thoughts and his happiness. He ran his left hand through his hand before heading back inside, paying their tab which the girls had graciously left him with, and then he headed home. He needed a shower desperately. He was surprised he hadn't scared Ino off with his smell. It'd been a long day for him and when you combine that with all the dancing in a hot room, it's a recipe for some serious ninja B.O. Thankfully both Ino and himself were too caught up in their emotions to notice the petty things, or maybe she did notice and was just too nice to say anything. 'Nah, that's not Ino's style. Knowing her, she'd have mentioned it, and then rubbed it in my face for an hour.' He chuckled to himself. Ino was his girlfriend now. It truly was shocking for him considering the fact that she always disliked Naruto when they were kids, always chasing after Sasuke and competing for his love. He found it pretty ironic how Sasuke always claimed he wanted to restore his clan but he always ignored all the girls. '_Some logic' _he thought to himself. The only time that Naruto and Ino had really bonded was over the loss of Asuma and then the more recent death of Sai. Naruto knew she had feelings for Sai but never had the courage to act on them, making his death all the more painful for her to deal with. But he promised both himself and to her that he would see her through the darkness and onto a lighter future. 'Guess I came through on my promise after all.' He mused aloud, not caring if anyone heard him after all, the streets of Konoha were pretty deserted at this hour of the night. Not in any rush, he took his time heading home, always enjoying nights such as this. The sky was starry and there was a light breeze drifting through the street, lightly tousling his free hanging golden hair. He unlocked his door and slid inside, quiet as a mouse. He wasn't quite sure why he was intentionally silent considering the fact that he lived alone, but it was just a habit of his when he came home late. Maybe it was because he liked to believe he had someone to come home to. Someone he didn't want to wake up for fear that they'd leave once they did. He sighed to himself before slipping his shirt over his head, throwing it in the washing pile and set off in the direction of his bed. It was only when Naruto slipped under the covers of his bed was that he noticed the other presence in the room. He would be able to place that chakra anywhere, Sakura was in his bed. 'Sakura?' He whispered, not wanting to wake his neighbors due to the thin walls of his apartment.  
She groaned and mumbled in her sleep riddled state. 'Hnnn? Naruto, is that you?' He thought he detected tears in her voice so he asked her.  
'Um yeah it's me but, um, Sakura. Why are you in my house, and my bed?'  
'I'm sorry Naruto, I can leave if you want. It's just.. I'm so lonely. I had nowhere and no one to go to so I came here and figured I'd wait till you got home.' He could tell that she was fighting back tears as she struggled to speak. 'I just miss him Naruto. I miss Kakashi so much and it hasn't even been a day yet. How am I supposed to cope with 3 years? Fuck me I'm lonely. That's why I came here tonight Naruto. You're my closest friend so please, just hold me for tonight? Please?' She sobbed each word out and it pained him severely to see one of his best friends reduced to such a state due to an act that Naruto had ordered. He created the problem, so he was going to fix it.  
'Okay Sakura, you can stay the night, but I swear, if Ino finds out, you're the one who's going to have to explain everything to her. Okay?' He tried to put emphasis on his words but he couldn't really bring himself to. He was too tired from the days ordeal.  
'Ino? Why would she care.. Unless.. Oh my god, you and Ino finally hooked up?' The news brought her tears to a halt and replaced them with a look of confusion. 'Huh, I never really picked it. But I guess you two have been getting pretty close recently, but yeah, I agree to your terms, now please. Hold me like you promised.' She pouted her bottom lip and nudged her head deeper into the tear-stained pillow she was laying on.  
'Alright, alright.' He turned to face her and wrapped her in a snug embrace; it was actually quite enjoyable for him. 'Okay, goodnight Sakura. I promise you, on my word as Hokage, I will make it up to you. No matter what it takes.' He meant it as well. He wasn't one to turn back on his word and he knew that Sakura knew that.  
It only took a few minutes for the friends to drift off into a blissful sleep, wrapped in the comforts of each other's company that would hold them until the morning came.

**Shortest chapter of mine yet and I apologize for that but I wanted this chapter up before I went to bed because who knows if I'll have my writing flow back tomorrow? So anyway, yeah. Read and review. Cheers~ **


	8. The morning after

She wasn't sure what had come over her, but after she left the club she had been hit with a wave of sadness, attempting to drag her under the icy waters of depression. Ever since she'd become a Genin Naruto had been there for her, guiding her every step of the way, whether it was by advice or his selfless actions. He'd always been there for her and no matter what problem they faced he'd managed to find a way to make everything well again. She didn't mean to go to him, but when the harsh loneliness started to kick in it was her first instinct to go to him for support. She knew he wouldn't fail her. He never had. Snapping from her thoughts, the pink haired medic slowly cracked her eyelids open and took a look around her friends room. _'Jesus, he doesn't have many possessions, does he?' _As she scanned the room she realized to the full extent of Naruto's recent loneliness as well. He didn't have any photos except for the one of team seven that he kept on his bedside table. She took her time to reminisce on past memories as she stared at the silver haired Jounin in said photo. She could feel a solitary tear blazing a path down her left cheek and before she could wipe it away, her blonde haired companion did it for her. 'You know Sakura, it's not good to dwell in the past. I know that for a fact. Come on, trust me. If anyone knows the pain of loss, it's me.' He didn't intentionally mean to make her feel bad, but she did. She was making a big deal out of losing her lover for three years while Naruto managed to keep his calm after losing so much. His parents died the night he was born so he never really knew them, until he met them inside him of course, but that was a brief encounter. And then one of his closest friends and mentor Jiraiya was killed by Pain. And the countless others he'd watched die on the battlefield. As if reading her mind, Naruto said, 'Sakura, I'm used to the pain by now, don't take it so hard. You and I are different. Everyone has their own perception of pain and losing Kakashi, even if it is only for three years is a tremendous loss for you and I understand that. So don't worry about me judging you for being weak Sakura. You're my friend first and a ninja second in my eyes. It's understandable for you to feel the way you do.'  
She chuckled to herself; he really had grown up into a fine young man, just like the Fourth. He always knew just what to say to heal her pains, if only a little. For years she'd taken him for granted and abused his feelings for her, all while chasing after her foolish dreams of Sasuke and she hated herself for it. 'It's just, you've lost so much Naruto, I don't mean to be cruel when I say that but it's true. I don't know how you cope with it all. I just, I can't even cope with the temporary loss of Kakashi. Then there are the deaths of Sai and Yamato still fresh in my mind. I got them killed.' She wasn't lying. There was a constant pain in her chest and weight on her heart every moment of every day. She knew that it was her fault they'd died but making up with Kakashi had made some head way into healing those painful wounds. Unfortunately, in his absence, the feelings of grief and self hatred have all tumbled back into existence, spurred on by the feelings of loneliness she was suffering.  
'Sakura.. Shit, I wasn't there so I can't know for sure. But from your mission report it wasn't your fault. We all have our weaknesses and our failures. You and Kakashi just made a bad decision on the wrong day. Stop blaming yourself for it, it's over now. It's done. There is nothing we can do about it.' She watched as he sat up in bed and pulled her into a tight hug, flowing all of his comfort and care into her through the physical connection. He muttered into her ear, 'no one blames you except yourself Sakura. So stop it, please. As your friend I'm asking you and as your Hokage, I'm ordering you.' He pulled away from the brief embrace and gave her a trademark Naruto smile, able to lighten anybodies day in an instant. It had the desired effect and she managed to pull her lips into a weak smile as he spoke again. 'Anyway. unfortunately, now that I'm Hokage I can't just chill out all day and give you moral support. Baa chan will come looking for me soon and I really don't want to piss her off. You know what that's like, aye Sakura?' He laughed and gave her shoulder a friendly push.  
'Yeah, she's a scary one alright. Not exactly someone I enjoy making mad.' She shuddered at the memory of last time she pissed of Tsunade. It ended with a hole in the roof of the Hokage's office and a heavy mahogany desk showing up on the other side of Konoha. A few people weren't very happy with the sudden appearance of said desk and the people's complaints had only furthered Tsunade's rage. 'I don't particularly want to re-live the whole desk incident.' Of course Naruto knew exactly what she was talking about and laughed while rubbing the back of his head, a habit he was yet to grow out of.  
'Oh man, I'd prefer to avoid that sort of situation. Especially right now. I mean, I'm hardly even dressed and I definitely don't want to go on a scavenger hunt for furniture throughout Konoha without my shirt.' His features slowly tugged into his special grin again. She still couldn't believe she had a friend as understanding as Naruto. Here she was showing up at his house in the middle of the night in tears because she missed her boyfriend. It was a pitiful excuse for such sadness and they both knew it but he didn't care. It's didn't matter what the conditions were. She was in pain and as her friend, he sought to give comfort and support whenever he could. Naruto was her emotional pillar of strength. Ever since they were kids and Sakura watched as Naruto and Sasuke surpassed her and grew up to be fine, powerful ninja's while she slowly faded off into the background. Despite his power though, Naruto remained humbled and always remembered his friends. He lived by a philosophy. He believed that if you could do good things for other people, you had a moral obligation to do those things. He didn't want to see anyone suffer how he had suffered for so long. That was the responsibility he had taken upon himself to fulfill in order to become Hokage of the Leaf. 'Oh and Sakura, I told you about me and Ino right? I think I did. But I'm not bruised anywhere so you must not have hit me. If I told you. I might have. Did I?' He was rambling on and much to Sakura's amusement was beginning to get a bit flustered, embarrassed by his cute little relationship with Ino.  
'Yeah you told me alright. And I didn't hit you because in case you don't remember, I wasn't exactly in the best of moods last night and to be completely honest, I'm glad you and her finally made it official. The rest of us have been talking about you two for a while now Naruto, much to Hinata's displeasure.' She laughed as Naruto's eyes squinted and his mouth flat lined. She silently awaited the outburst of shouting she knew was coming. Just as she thought, not a moment later Naruto went off. 'What do you mean you talk about me and Ino! And what about Hinata? She doesn't still like me does she? Oh no, now I feel bad. Ugh. Her and Ino aren't fighting now are they?' He was up, out of bed now and pacing around his room in a frantic panic. She thought it was pretty cute.  
'Naruto, man. Calm yourself the fuck down dude,' she laughed as he turned and squinted at her again. 'Hinata is fine with it. She only wants what makes you happy and if that's Ino then she's not going to argue with your decision. And yeah, sure we talk about you. I mean, you're Naruto after all. You're all anyone talks about these days. Once upon a time you were the demon child who everyone hated with a burning passion, and yet here you are, the highly esteemed Hokage of the Leaf Village.' What she said was true, it was pretty ironic how a child who grew up around so much hatred and loneliness was able to rise above and beyond the expectations of his peers and become the Hokage, just like he'd always dreamed. He was no average child, oh no. Naruto was especially unique in every way shape and form.

His mind was racing at a million miles an hour. Women were talking about him behind his back. That's never good when the women congregate to discuss a certain topic. As Shikamaru would say, it's troublesome. _'Atleast Hinata doesn't hate Ino I guess, I mean, she's an amazing friend and I'd hate to have something as trivial as this destroy our strong friendship.'_ He decided that now that he was out of bed he may as well find a shirt to slip into before going to find Tsunade. Knowing her she probably had a shit ton of work for him to do today. He sighed before picking up a black muscle tee and slipping it on. 'Yeah, fair enough. I'm glad Hinata isn't going to make a fuss about this because I really do appreciate her friendship. God. I sound so corny and cliché but it's true. There was a time where I thought I'd developed feelings for her but in the end I came to realize that the way I felt towards her was a strong friendship, nothing more.' He felt slightly bitter after speaking those words because it wasn't quite fair to Hinata. She'd been chasing after him since they were kids and here he was, completely disregarding her strong feelings towards him and choosing to be with a girl who'd almost single handedly made him childhood a living hell, second only to the Kyuubi of course. When he thought about it, things didn't really add up. Hinata was an almost perfect match for him and Ino was, well, Ino. Loud mouthed, bold, stubborn and easy to anger. Who'd pick her to date Konoha's legendary knucklehead who just happened to be as loud mouthed and bold as her. He was also pretty high on the stubborn side which probably wasn't good. He shook his head to rattle out any unwelcome thoughts, he loved Ino and nothing was ever going to change that. _'Hear that Uzumaki? There was no hesitation there, you truly do love her.' _He smiled to himself before turning to Sakura who had also gotten ready to leave, mostly by fixing her hair. 'Always fussing about your hair, aye Sakura chan?' He smiled in her direction as she finished tying the knot on her Hiat-ate and laughed, 'you know it Uzumaki.' He laughed again. She always was good company as long as you kept in mind not to make her angry. He thought back to when Sai used to call her by her nickname, 'ugly' and entice her rage. Often he'd end up a bit worse for wear. He laughed at the memory. In the beginning he wasn't particularly fond of Sai but now without his pale face around, always plastered with that smile of his, Naruto finally realized how much he'd begun to cherish the young ninja's friendship. Naruto gave a small and silent nod in honour of his fallen comrade before grabbing his backpack and heading out the door, aware of Sakura's presence right behind him.  
**  
Another shitty short chapter and I apologise for that, but I've been so bogged down with work and study recently I have barely been able to find any time to write. I hope you guys forgive me though and I promise, my next chapter will be longer. This chapter was pretty much just a bit of insight on character emotions and how they're all feeling about events that are going on around them.  
Anyway, read and review. **


	9. You're on my mind

**I'm sincerely sorry for my lack of activity recently. My life has been so hectic lately and it's been really difficult to keep up with my writing, schoolwork and social life, not to mention that my internet is a heap of shit that won't even load fanfiction half the time. Obviously all this shit heaped up is real stressful and that'll probably be evident in this chapter and for that I apologize but I did try so I hope you enjoy it. **

Kakashi gripped his left arm tightly in a feeble attempt to stop the thick blood from flowing freely out of the open wound that decorated his flesh from his shoulder to his elbow. Shortly after arriving in the land of wind, he was ambushed by a few high ranking renegade sand shinobi and after a few minutes of fighting, Kakashi had dispatched two of the men with the use of his Mangekyou Sharingan but not before taking a few injuries himself. He had a long and deep gash on his upper left arm, a kunai wound on his left leg and a large burn across the left side of his chest which effectively melted away the flak jacket he'd been wearing. He chuckled to himself and felt pain radiate through him. 'I guess I've got a few fucked ribs as well aye.' He laughed again despite the pain. All his injuries were on his left side and he had no idea why. His mind was raging. He knew deep down that he should have those injuries and he also knew why he had them. He'd been careless. Day dreaming about his cherry blossom had allowed the Sand Nin to take him by surprise and caused him to take a shuriken to the leg, beginning the string of unnecessary injuries. A sharp jolt of pain spiked through his body and it was in that moment that Kakashi knew that they'd found him. He tore the bloody kunai from his leg before coming to a stop. _'Shit, Pakkun didn't keep them occupied for long.'_ He cursed inwardly to himself before turning to face his opponents, all the while steeling himself for the battle to come.  
'Kakashi Hatake eh?' The rouge Nin muttered under her breath, 'you're kind of cute you know. It's a real shame I have to mess up that pretty little face of yours.' He watched her as a sly smirk spread across her face and it was in that moment that Kakashi realized that they had a trick up their sleeves, an ace in the hole. He took his time to analyze his opponent's appearance. She was slim but was gifted in the chest department. What shook Kakashi to the core though was her green eyes and reddish pink hair. It was shockingly similar to Sakura and he could tell that it would only serve as a distraction in the fight to come.  
'I'd prefer if you didn't. I've grown quite fond of my pretty little face as a matter of fact. But, I guess you've gotta do what you've gotta do.' His sarcastic reply came as a surprise to the Sand Nin who obviously was shocked by the fact that Kakashi disregarded her threats with a witty comment. 'But,' he continued, 'I would, however like to know the name of the woman who thinks she can best me. So go ahead. Indulge me.' He threw a wink in her direction before silently awaiting a response. Or a kunai. Both were a possibility in this kind of situation.  
After a few moments of silence the woman spoke. 'My name is Azuri Kyraba, former ninja of the Hidden Sand Village and know that we've got introductions aside, I think it's time to get down to business, Kakashi of the Sharingan.' She drew a kunai and hurled it in his direction with blinding speed. It was all he could do to deflect it off the edge of his own drawn kunai. His mind had been adrift with thoughts of his cherry blossom and once again it had almost gotten the man killed.  
'Pleasure to make your acquaintance.' He growled roughly before returning his own volley of kunai, only to have them blocked by a great wall of sand.  
'Suna Hitsugi no jutsu!' He only just avoided Azuri's sand burial technique in time. '_Damn it Hatake, keep your mind focused, one slip up and you're fucked. This girl isn't someone to take lightly, she's already using A ranked sand ninjutsu and you've barely even started the battle which means she's got some serious chakra to burn through while you're running short.'_  
'Doton: Shinjuu Zanshu no Jutsu.' He whispered under his breath as he slipped into the earth beneath his feet. Kakashi used this opportunity to buy time to formulate a battle plan. He didn't want to resort to using his Mangekyou Sharingan again. He'd already burnt up too much chakra using it already and another use would be too much for his body to handle. He might have to just do this the old fashion way. He took a deep breath before bursting forth from the ground. 'Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!' His sneak attack had given him the element of surprise and in a quick motion he had blasted Azuri with a massive fire style jutsu at close range. Even though her sand armour had absorbed a solid amount of the destruction, she did not escape unscathed. He eyed the harsh burns on the right side of her body from her legs to her chest.  
'You asshole!' Her voice was raw with pain and malice and Kakashi almost felt sorry for the girl. He watched as she writhed in pain and continued to curse Kakashi's existence. 'I'll kill you, I fucking swear it.' And with that she stood, threw Kakashi a glare filled with hate and vanished with the breeze.  
Kakashi sighed once more. This was going to be a long 3 years away from home.

She was giddy with happiness. She, Ino Yamanaka was dating the Rokudaime Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki. Her thoughts flashed back to the events that played out last night. **_'Ino, I think I.. I think I love you.'_** His words rung through her. Every nerve in her went absolutely wild until her body was nothing more than a burning mass of emotional ecstasy, all revolving around the blonde haired ninja who'd just confessed to her. She hadn't trusted her voice at the time so she did the first thing that came to mind. She pressed her lips against his. The kiss was everything she'd ever dreamt it to be. It ignited a burning passion in her chest and she knew she had most certainly fallen for her closest friend, Naruto Uzumaki. She didn't even know what it was about the kid that attracted her to him. Perhaps it was it caring attitude, or maybe it was the fact that no matter what, he'll never give up on anyone. His dedication to both himself and others is astounding. After Asuma was slain by Hidan of the Akatski, Naruto immediately took her under his wing and was always there for her, even up until he became Hokage. It was especially difficult for them when Jiraiya died. But they found solace in each other and since then they've both been on the road to recovery and now with his little confession, Ino couldn't even remember the last time she was this happy. She smiled sub-consciously before opening her eyes to greet the new day with a bubbly attitude. She went through her morning routine of showering and whatnot with a unusual, but not unexplained spring in her step. She knew Naruto had work today but she was planning on spending some time with him when he got off. That was if he wasn't already tired. Maybe they could go out for dinner; a proper date to kick start their relationship. She'd have to run the idea past him sometime throughout the day. 'It shouldn't be a problem; I don't have to work the shop today so I've got some free time to myself.' She spoke to herself, and then realized what she was doing and cut it out immediately. _'Look at you Ino, talking to yourself you crazy girl.' _She laughed and rushed downstairs, egged on by the teasing scent of bacon sizzling from the kitchen. Upon dashing into the kitchen she was greeted by both her mother and father.  
'Morning dear, your father here just got back from his S rank mission so we get to have a splendid breakfast for the first time in a while.' Her mother looked between her husband and her daughter with a large smile on her face. 'Take a seat Ino, I'll serve yours up.' Again she smiled before turning back to the food on the stove.  
'So, dad. How was the mission, what was the objective?' Questioned Ino. She was honestly curious as to what had kept her father away from home for the past 3 months.  
'Reconnaissance mission in Suna, had to gather up intel for some assassination mission.' He grunted back, obviously worn from the mission. She understood how he felt, long missions were always the worst. The Ino realized something. That mission..  
'Wait, was that the mission Kakashi-sensei was sent on by any chance?' She inquired, eager to know.  
'It was indeed, and what a crazy mission. Those rouge Suna Nin are definitely a force to be reckoned with. I even advised the Hokage to send more ninjas to aid him but for some reason he rejected the suggestion, stating that Kakashi could handle it.'  
_'Wait, did he just say that Naruto rejected the idea of helping Kakashi? Why..' _Her mind was whirling. Kakashi and Naruto were pretty close these days and for Naruto to make a decision like that.. It was strange and extremely out of character. Something was up.  
'You okay Ino? You just sorta zoned out there for a bit.' He dad was watching her with those intelligent eyes of his.  
'Oh, no I'm fine. Just thinking.' She wasn't particularly lying so she was hoping that Inochi wouldn't see it in her eyes. Deciding to drop the subject for a while due to the fact that her mum had just served up a plate stacked up with crispy bacon, her favourite. She'd managed to wolf down the food in record time before shouting a goodbye to her parents and shooting out of the door.  
_'What reason would Naruto have for restricting help for Kakashi I wonder? He has to have a good reason after all, he didn't make it to Hokage status just with that pretty face of his and a bit of determination. Or maybe he did? Ugh, that's not the point Ino, get your mind back on track.' _She mentally scolded herself for letting her thoughts wander. She has put her faith in Naruto and she trusted him in this matter. She honestly believed that he would never do anything to hinder the copy ninja and so his actions must have been with the best of intentions.  
'Ino! Hey girl, heard you and Naruto finally hooked up, good on ya man.' She turned and was greeted by the beaming face of her best friend Sakura. 'Honestly happy for you Ino and it's about time, honestly. The rest of us have all been wondering when you two would stop being so thick and realize that you're meant to be together.'  
'Wait wait wait, woah. How did you even find out about that? As far as I knew Naruto went straight home last night..' Ino was confused but she already had so much on her mind so she couldn't really come up with an explanation. Surely Naruto hadn't told her this early in the morning. It was then that a crazy thought came to mind and she felt slightly bad just for thinking it but what if he did tell Sakura last night? What if she paid him a visit? _'Shame on you Ino. She's with Kakashi at the moment and she's not one to sleep around while her partner is away especially when it comes to Naruto. No. It must be something else. Maybe she just needed some company last night? After all she has been pretty upset recently.'_ While she was both scolding herself and figuring out the situation in her mind, Sakura had donned a guilty look that made Ino reconsider all the words she'd spoken in her mind. 'What, exactly happened last night Sakura?' She didn't intend for her voice to be so cold but it came out icy.  
She looked shocked for a moment but brushed it off with a light hearted laugh. 'Nothing like that silly. Come on Ino, have a bit more faith in me. I love Kakashi and that's that.' Her laughter faded and from the ashes was born a serious mood. 'Although I did sleep with Naruto last night, and before you get any ideas, it wasn't anything like you think. I was lonely and needed a friend and he came home to me bawling my eyes out in his bed.' She turned her gaze to the ground; obviously uncomfortable with sharing the moment with her so Ino didn't push the subject. She trusted both Naruto and Sakura too much to have any more lingering suspicions. 'Well, okay,' she pursed her lips into a tight line and continued, 'I'll take your word for it man. But hey I actually need to go see Naruto and talk to him about something so I'll catch up with you later yeah?' She called out over her shoulder, already on her way to Hokage tower.  
'Yeah sure Ino. See ya!' She looked back briefly again to see Sakura waving a hand high in the sky with a bright smile on her face. Naruto must've really worked some magic last night. Sakura seemed like a totally different person. Ino paused momentarily and glanced up at the light blue sky, slowly letting her eyelids close while she sucked in a deep breath of fresh air before setting out once again. _'Things are look up now Ino.'_


	10. Authors Note Two

I'd like to take a minute to sincerely apologize to my few followers for my severe lack of updates recently and my overall neglect of this story. Know I've never been one to pour out my problems to people who honestly don't want to hear about it, so I'll keep this quick. Recently I've been going through an extremely rough patch of my life and trying to cope with that while my best friend has been ignoring me for days now, it all adds up to the stress and I can't manage to find the time to write anything, let alone an entire chapter worthy of your eyes. I'm well aware that most, if not all of you don't care but I'd just like to apologize once more for neglecting my duties as an author and I promise I will attempt to get Broken back on track and start pumpin' out some new chapters. Until next time guys~


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